Long-time USMNT defender and Crew star Hejduk retires

The long-time U.S. national team defender and Columbus Crew captain retired on Thursday, ending an impressive career that saw him play in multiple World Cups as well as in Europe.

Hejduk enjoyed a 16-year professional career that saw him play for the Tampa Bay Mutiny, Crew and LA Galaxy in MLS, with a stint at German club Bayer Leverkusen. He won MLS Cups with the Crew (2008) and Galaxy (2011), and won a total of five Supporters Shields.

Hejduk made 85 appearances with the national team, playing in the 1998 and 2002 World Cups and the 1996 and 2000 Olympics.

What did you think of Hejduk as a player? What was your fondest moment of his playing days?

And HeyDude surfs off into the sunset. He had a great career and I couldn’t think of a Crew player more deserving to get a goal in the MLS final. Never the most talented of players(I often referred to him as Charlie Hustle) but played hard every game and was all heart. Wish there was good USMNT game to give him a proper send off.

Loved Frankie’s attitude – NEVER say die and always hustle. Oddly, my favorite memory was of him in the stands at the 2006 match against Czech. Even though he was hurt and couldn’t play, he was getting us all pumped up to root for the team! Quite a leader.

I loved this guy. Always left it all on the field, and he always made it interesting with his slide tackles in the box and his crossing. You never knew what was going to happen, but you always knew he’d play hard…

Two favorite memories. Getting tagged in the tunnel by the Mexico coach after celebrating…and the locker room writing with Bob Marley lyrics….I would love to have played with the guy…or just had a cup of coffee…

He really should be coaching at some point, great personnel motivating guy, I’m sure.

Thank you Frankie for redefining hustle, commitment, positive attitude, and for your indefatigable “never give up” spirited team play and for representing our country so well so, so many times.
You are a great light!
A Hall of Fame US Soccer immortal.
Thank you!

Met Frankie at the stadium in Gelsenkirchen before US v. Czech Republic match during WC06. He was wearing his own USMNT jersey and just haning out waiting for the game to start — just like every other US fan anticipating the commencement of the world cup with high expectations. He was really nice and accommodating. Enjoyed seeing him finish out his career with the Galaxy on a high note. In my opinion, he and Cobi Jones set the bar very high when it comes to commitment to the team and leaving it all on the field. Thanks for the great memories Frankie!

All time best scoring celebration. I wonder what song he had in his head while doing the goal dance.

I will never forget the gritty performance that put him on the map vs. Germany in 1998. If I remember correctly, he had a crazy diving header that Kahn made an amazing save on. That was probably our only shot on goal.

Bar none my favorite player ever. Coolest guy to ever put on the Stars & Stripes. Embodies what a true professional should be. Was a real shame he did not represent USA in the ’06 or ’10 World Cups. I will miss this guy. A LEGEND RETIRES.

It’s hard to believe now, but in 1997 there was serious debate over whether or not he should be part of the National team setup. Frankie was fast but undisciplined, the rap went, and couldn’t cross a ball to save his life. Often the best defense that his supporters could muster is that he would at least be fast enough to track back all the times when he would inevitably be out of position.

The funny thing was that his detractors turned out to be kind of right. You winced every time he went for a tackle and even his spell at Leverkusen didn’t improve his crossing. But his virtues were so considerable that they always outweighed his vices. That desire to give it all for his team, that ability to come up with unexpected goals. And that speed…. I think it was Dan Loney (on some website or another) who said that Frankie’s greatest strength was the sheer illogic of his mad dashes forward; opposing left backs saw him approaching, his hair sweeping behind him like the mane of some bleached thoroughbred racehorse, and they thought “what the f**k is he doing?!”

So many great Hejduk moments, but I’ll add another: his stepping in as left back against Portugal in Suwon in the 2002 Cup, when Arena reasoned that David Regis couldn’t deal with Sergio Concecao. “Hejduk at left back?” I said at 2:00 in the morning. “That’s crazy.” But in Frankie-world, crazy was always right, and he has a great game.

Frankie Heydude was the spirit of American soccer in terms of attitude (on and off field!), hustle, and work ethic, I saw and enjoyed that in him all the way from UCLA’s North Soccer Field to the Galaxy’s HDC field last year….and of course everything in between.

I will always remember his game against Germany in 1998. I was only 14 years old, but it still sustains in my memory as one of the singularly best men’s performances. He played out of his mind that game, and it came to accentuate the “I-just-don’t-give-a-crap-who-these-guys-are” type of attitude that highlighted our national team back then.

Now that we can pretty much hold our own against the world’s best, I kind of miss that old attitude…

Best player on the ’98 team, and had a very good ’02 Cup as well. He was never the most technically accomplished player, and in that respect he’s typical of a lot of MLS-ers who began their careers in the late 90s.

That said, HeyDude had tons of speed in an era where speed was the USMNT’s best (perhaps only?) weapon, he had a seriously underrated motor (I recall Wynalda saying that Nike or somebody did tests to see how quickly athletes from a variety of sports could oxygenate their bodies, and Heyduk came in second behind only Lance freaking Armstrong. That should give you a sense of the physical gifts he possessed that not many athletes have), and he ALWAYS left it all on the field. He oughta be a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame the first time he’s on the ballot.

blue collar? i dont think he’s from the steel belt. he’s a soCal boy. time to go surfing. it would be funny if that was just a stereotype and he actually hated surfing. kind of like beckermann never having smoked pot in his life. right

He did the best with what he had, which was jets for legs and brickbats for feet. Gave us a few flashes of life in ’98, all alone out on the right wing. At one point he admitted to a journalist that he never watched soccer ’cause it bored him — and it showed in the way he played, unfortunately. But hey, he hung in there for a nice long career, and definitely accumulated a lot of effort points along the way.

This is all wrong. Of course he gave effort, but he didn’t lack skill. Saying “he hung in there” is a disgrace. “The Best with what he had” – yeah, he could shut down opponents and attack with his “jets for legs.” What the hell, do you even watch US soccer? this is absurd. I’m sorry, but the Billy Madison ‘we’re all dumber for having read this’ is applicable to this post.

Fittest player I’ve ever seen in a U.S. jersey. His beep tests were legend. Sitting in the stans with the fans was quintessential Heyduk. If you don’t have a grin from ear to ear when thinking about him then something’s wrong. Surf on, Dude!!!!

Possibly one of the least talented footballers to ever play for the National Team…. and he can play on my squad anytime. A consummate professional, tireless worker, and the kind of teammate everyone loves. He did more with less than any player I can remember. Congrats, best wishes, and thanks for Frankie.

I thought the 2009 dos-a-cero might have been Frankie’s best Nats game. He broke up a basketful of Mex possessions. After that game you could still make a case for him on the 2010 roster. But not much longer.